[INTERVIEW WITH LOUISIANA COLLEGE SAAC PRESIDENT STEPHANIE BAER BELOW!]
RICHARDSON, Texas –– Student-Athlete Advisory Committees from the 15 American Southwest Conference campuses combined to raise $8,205.46 for local community organizations in the fourth annual “Make a Change in 14 Days” loose coin collection project.
14 different organizations received support through the local campus fundraising efforts held from January 25-February 7. Included were American Red Cross (for Haiti relief), Backpack Program, Children’s Miracle Network, Clarksville (Ark.) Housing Authority, Guadalupe Valley (Texas) Habitat for Humanity, Harrison County (Texas) Boys & Girls Club, Kay Yow Foundation, Lutheran World Relief for Haiti, McMurry in China (building libraries), Make-A-Wish Foundation, Phil’s Friends, St. Frances Cabrini Cancer Center (La.), Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.
In the four years of the conference-wide community service campaign, nearly $28,000 has been raised to benefit 41 different charitable organizations in ASC campus communities. Each of the past three years, the SAAC groups have topped the $8,000 mark.
“Coin-by-coin the 15 campuses not only raised over $8,100 this year, but pushed the Make a Change four-year total to $27,821.60,” ASC commissioner Amy Carlton said. “The Student Athlete Advisory Committees in the conference continue to be active leaders with the students and the fans in providing assistance to organizations in their campus hometowns.”
The two-week SAAC event is also designed as a challenge among the ASC member campuses and is scheduled during the turn of the conference Division basketball schedule. Louisiana College, University of the Ozarks, Mississippi College and University of Texas at Dallas claimed the 2010 division pool title with a combined collection of $2,542.94.
Louisiana College, located in Pineville, La., was the top-collecting ASC institution for the third straight year, raising $1,337.37. LC raised funds to benefit St. Frances Cabrini Cancer Center, a local breast cancer treatment facility used by Lady Wildcats basketball head coach Janice Joseph-Richard, who is undergoing treatment for a reoccurrence of breast cancer.
“The community really rallies around Coach Richard and is a tight-knit group,” said first-year Louisiana College SAAC President Stephanie Baer, a sophomore soccer player and cross country runner. “I think we kind of have an advantage over other schools because the cause is so much more personal to us.”
LC collected the bulk of its funds at H.O. West Fieldhouse on February 4 and 6 as its teams took on Texas-Dallas and Ozarks, respectively, in conference basketball action.
“I am very proud of our Louisiana College community and its contributions made for the St. Frances Cabrini Cancer Center, especially during these economic times,” LC SAAC Advisor Donnie Broussard said. “Louisiana College is proud of our Student Athletic Advisory Committee led by Stephanie Baer and all the hard work that the committee did to make the Make a Change in 14 Days a success.”
In three years, Baer, Broussard and former LC SAAC President and now graduated McCaslin Carson have guided the collection of $6,872.26, all directed toward breast cancer research.
The student-athlete advisory committee at Schreiner University came in second place as it raised $1,203.91 for Phil’s Friends, an organization that gives support and hope to those affected by cancer. Also posting its best “Make a Change in 14 Days” total in the four-year campaign was Hardin-Simmons University, Howard Payne University, LeTourneau University, Mississippi College, University of Texas at Tyler and Texas Lutheran University. LeTourneau had the biggest increase from 2009, raising nearly $500 more.
“MAKE A CHANGE IN 14 DAYS”
2010
Student-Athlete Advisory Committees from the American Southwest Conference Teamed Together in collecting Loose Change earmarked for a local community organization from January 25 – February 7, 2010
ASC INSITUTION: Local Organization (Funds Raised)
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CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY TEXAS: Lutheran World Relief for Haiti ($262.74)
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EAST TEXAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY: Harrison County Boys & Girls Club ($124.50)
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HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY: Children’s Miracle Network ($857.05)
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HOWARD PAYNE UNIVERSITY: American Red Cross, relief for Haiti ($212.76)
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LETOURNEAU UNIVERSITY: Backpack Program ($641.45)
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LOUISIANA COLLEGE: St. Frances Cabrini Cancer Center ($1,337.37)
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UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR: Kay Yow Foundation ($592.24)
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MCMURRY UNIVERSITY: McMurry in China, building libraries ($103.42)
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MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE: Susan G. Komen for the Cure ($418.39)
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UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS: Clarksville Housing Authority ($636.18)
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SCHREINER UNIVERSITY: Phil’s Friends ($1,203.91)
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SUL ROSS STATE UNIVERSITY: American Red Cross for Haiti Relief ($229.15)
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UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS: Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children ($151.00)
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UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER: Make-A-Wish Foundation ($715.00)
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TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY: Guadalupe Valley Habitat for Humanity ($720.30)
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2010 COMBINED TOTAL
2010 COMBINED TOTAL
$8,205.46
TOP COLLECTING STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
TOP-COLLECTING STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTE
LOUSIANA COLLEGE
Total: $1,337.37
DIVISION POOLS
DIVISION POOLS
1ST PLACE
Louisiana College, University of the Ozarks, MississippiCollege, University of Texas at Dallas
Combined Total: $2,542.94
McMurry University, Concordia UniversityTexas, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Hardin-SimmonsUniversity
Combined Total: $1,815.45
Schreiner University, Texas Lutheran University, SulRossStateUniversity, HowardPayneUniversity
Combined Total: $2,366.12
University of Texas at Tyler, EastTexasBaptistUniversity, LeTourneauUniversity
Combined Total: $1,480.95
FOUR-YEAR COMBINED TOTAL
FOUR-YEAR COMBINED TOTAL
$27,821.60